Visitors from Down the Street
by OR7A
Summary: Only the dead have seen the end of war". Dominion Vs. Borg, need I say more?
1. Introduction

"It's ironic, a pre-war Dominion might have actually stood a chance against the Borg," Luther Sloan, Stardate 52645.7

2376;

Odo emerged from the link. As his body slowly retook it's familiar shape he took a moment to quash the nagging feeling of emptiness that always accompanied his breaking from the link, as he knew every time he did it was for a purpose.

Waiting patiently and with the usual awe inspired gleeful grin across his face was Weyoun. The small island of rock stuck out above the Great Link's vast oceanic effect and provided the only meeting place where solids and Changelings would interact.

"What is it Weyoun?" Odo asked, the rasp in his voice, the slight tilt in his head, he hadn't lost his touch for enquiry.

"I do apologize to disturb the matters of Gods," Weyoun began, regretting his choice of words remembering Odo's distaste for the term. Nevertheless the Vorta continued, "There is a matter of great importance to the Dominion I wish to discuss with you."

Weyoun paused a moment, but sensing Odo wasn't going to speak, he continued; "A decade or so ago one of my predecessors dispatched a long range probe, it was to map the outer regions of the Gamma Quadrant and bring back information regarding harvestable resources, ideal ketracel-white production locations…" Weyoun trailed off, the probe's third purpose was to find conquerable populations, but he decided Odo needn't know that. _Besides if he _is_ a god, so he must already know_.

Odo took a step toward, examining the little Vorta's facial expression, going over Weyoun's words, the hidden meanings. Finally he spoke; "And… ?"

"The probe reports back each month with it's finding, and military or scientific vessels are dispatched accordingly, but this month… the report was a little… odd."

Odo must admit he was intrigued, it had been a long time since he'd engaged in any conversation where he hadn't already known all possible answers through the telepathic connection in the link. "What was so _odd_ about this report?"

"It came back in just 8 words." Weyoun swallowed hard, he knew the words off by heart, they had been burnt into the back of his sockets since the moment the First had reported the probe's data.

"It read, _We are the Borg. You will be assimilated._"


	2. Chapter 1

"Is it just me, or do the stars shine a little brighter in the Gamma Quadrant?" Julian Bashir, Chief Medical Officer Starbase Deep Space 9 Circa 2372.

"Captain's log stardate 55013.9, having taken on personnel and supplies from Deep Space 9 we've safely entered the Gamma Quadrant. Quite a momentous feet, one of only a handful of Federation vessels to traverse this side of the wormhole since the end of the war. She is a fine ship, but when I took command I hadn't envisioned being on a 6 months deep space voyage with no shore leave that's for sure. But it beats doing runs to Cardassia and back."

Captain Kirkland Miller exhaled deeply and rocked back in his Ready Room chair. He pondered adding anymore to his log, and decided against it. "End entry," he commanded, a second later a bleep confirmed the command. The fine ship the 40-something year old Captain was referring to was the USS Delphinus, a Nebula Class starship built in a rush and first deployed with a full marine battalion during the Cardassian war in the 2360s. She then had been re-launched with a full scientific team aboard, only to be hauled back into combat readiness in 2374 for obvious reasons. A quick refit that saw the ship out of action for most of 2376 had seen it relaunched two weeks ago with a happy mix of armaments and science, a true reflection of what Starfleet had been forced to become.

Captain Kirkland Miller had been a Security and Tactical Officer for the majority of his career, before seeing a field promotion here and a field promotion there during the Dominion War that saw him come out the other side in command of his own vessel. A transfer to a larger ship headed out on a bold mission was one he couldn't turn down, and he accepted without asking Admiral Akaar about the particulars. The particulars being a 6 month cruise through the Gamma Quadrant. Or as Miller had coined once; "The galaxy ass end". He was a man a purpose, and trusted very few. His war record and datafile spoke volumes about his character but those who knew him understood he was different.

Miller rose, the bones that made up his 5 ft 11 frame feeling particularly achy… again. "I'm getting to old for this," he said under his breath, remembering the days during the Cardassian war when he'd lead officers into battle at a brisk run!

He headed out of his ready room and onto the bridge. The Delphinus' bridge layout was very similar to that of a Galaxy Class, both ships being from the same era. Still present was the red, beige and creams that smothered Starfleet interiors from that era that had fallen quickly out of fashion by the 2370s.

Miller's XO, a pretty Deltan by the name of Suza, sat in the Captain's chair directing traffic. She was as graceful as she was dainty, but this hid her hardened interior that Miller had seen forged by the harshness of war. The two had served together during the war since Miller's unit had rescued Suza and her fellow officers from where they'd gotten pinned down in an abandoned hospital during the Siege of Betazed. Suza was one of the few Miller trusted.

The next person that caught Miller's attention as he began to make his way back to his chair, was someone he didn't entirely trust. He was a youngish man, although the war had obviously aged him, _Hadn't it us all_, he was someone assigned to the Delphinus from Deep Space Nine, and Miller hated his guts already. Bashin, or Bashir, or something like that. Miller hated all Doctors, but this one was particularly irritating.

"Captain!" he said with a youthful enthusiasm Miller wasn't expecting. Looking over to Suza, Miller rolled his eyes, a gesture she returned, she obviously had had an ear full too.

"Yes Doctor?" Miller said, trying to avoid the awkwardness of admitting he'd forgotten the man's name.

Below decks, in a small corner of engineering crouched underneath an access panel was Chief Petty Officer Niall Summers, a 8 year out of Deneva Prime, and star quarterback for the Denevan X-Rays. He had been aboard the Delphins since he had been drafted during the war, and besides the Captain, was the longest serving crewmember aboard. He knew the ship inside and out, and cared deeply for it's wellbeing.

"Almost got it," he muttered to himself, his face screwed up in concentration as he fiddled with a series of complex looking wires underneath the panel.

"Success!" he cried a moment later as the lights atop the panel began to flicker to life. Raising himself up he surveyed his success gleefully. His victory was then promptly interrupted by the chirping on his combadge.

He tapped it, "Summers here."

The turbolift came to a halt at deck 15 on it's way up. Summers, who'd enjoyed the peace and quiet, stepped politely to the left, to allow Lieutenant Commander Volek inside. As you may have guessed by the name, the Lieutenant Commander was a Vulcan. He was Chief Science Officer, and the Delphinus' second officer. He, Summers and Suza, made up Miller's close circle. The other senior officers, Ensign Walter Marsden; Chief of Operations, Lieutenant JG Cameron Stuart; Tactical Officer, and Eria zh'Loran; Counselor, were all last minute appointments to the expedition, had brief records, and were yet to earn Miller's trust.

The turbolift sped on it's way again, besides a brief nod and salutation exchanged between the two veteran officers not a word was exchanged between them. Summers enjoyed Volek's company, but respected his colleague desire for silence during a time trying to control the Pon'farr.

The lift came to a halt and the two exited onto the bridge. They glanced around, and were told by a Junior Officer the Captain and XO were waiting in the conference room. Taking a door to their left the two filed in and sat down beside all the Delphinus' senior staff and that Doctor they'd picked up from DS9.

The Captain had the floor. The screen behind him displayed a basic dot map of the region of the Gamma Quadrant they were currently hurtling through at Warp 9+ The mapping for this region had been done by the USS Defiant a few months previous, and any further probing would yield very little, which is why the Delphinus was bypassing it. Two thin lines in red, bordered the thin white line that indicated the Delphinus' intended path, these represented the space lane negotiated with the Dominion the Delphinus could use whilst in their territory. And although you couldn't see them, and sensors couldn't pick them up, Miller would argue he could_ feel_ the Jem'Hadar warships tailing them on the other side of those red lines.

"We've detected a small asteroid belt directly in our flight path. Whilst obviously doesn't pose a navigational threat, it _is_ one of the hotspots the Changeling known as Odo warned us about for privateers. And if these privateers are left alone because even the Jem'Hadar can't take them down, then they are definitely something we should be concerned about."


End file.
